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Digby Driver
Digby Driver (born Kevin Gumm) is the (former) central antagonist-turned-supporting character of Richard Adams' 1978 novel The Plague Dogs, and a minor character in its 1982 animated film adaptation, where he is a female reporter named Lynn Driver. He is an unscrupulous journalist who works at the London Orator and is responsible for publishing articles about Rowf and Snitter carrying the bubonic plague. However, he eventually redeems himself when he learned the truth about Alan Wood being the owner of Snitter and how Ann Moss sold him to ARSE. She was voiced by Penelope Lee in the film. History Backstory He was born in the late 1940s after World War II and was named Kevin by his mother, Mavis Gumm. Despite his name not being christened as Kevin, he grew up with that name. Shortly after birth, his mother left him in care of his grandmother. Unfortunately, he never knew respect or fear from his parents or the school authorities. One day, he was sentenced to juvenile court at the age of 10 for breaking and entering an old widow's shop and threatening her with violence. This only taught him to avoid the police in order to avoid trouble, though. His parents have eventually decided to give up teaching him. As he grew older, he became a dread against university authorities and eventually departed from his university to get a small job in journalism at the London Orator. After returning home, he heard about a Pakistani criminal who was arrested for violence and rape. This incident is what made him into the journalist he is known. He got material for special features on pornography and sexual night clubs, that he was given the new name of Digby Driver by the Orator's readers. ''The Plague Dogs'' After Snitter accidentally kills David Ephraim, the Government Department learn about the incident and argue over the situation. They suggest on sending Digby Driver to investigate and one of the civil servants named Desmond Simpson contacts him about the incident. After Stephen Powell failed to retrieve Snitter from the Dawsons when the Tod helped him escape, Driver comes to their house and they explain the whole story to him. Driver and Powell then head to Gerald's bar and Powell explains the experiments that were performed on Rowf and Snitter. Powell chats with him about Dr. Goodner's history and defense work on bubonic plague. After publishing an article about the incident at Dawson's, the barman directs him to the Research Station and he heads over there. He meets up with Tyson and he directs him to Dr. Goodner's office. He comes across Goodner and asks him about his defense work. Goodner explains the work on the plague and Driver claims that he won't publish any articles about the plague. However, he posted an article about the dogs carrying the plague, much to Dr. Boycott's shock. Later, he has a conversation with farmer Dennis Williamson and he explains that the Research Station wouldn't tell him anything about the lost dogs. He calls Mary Longmire and decides to head to the Research Station. He then posts another news article about the A.R.S.E. keeping a secret about their dogs. Later, he meets up with Ann Moss, the same girl who sold Snitter to the Research Station. He asks her about Snitter and she denies it. She then reveals Snitter's name, who was owned by her brother and claims that he had an aggressive nature. He asks her why she sold him to the A.R.S.E. and she claims that it was her brother-in-law's idea. The next day, he posts an article about Moss and how she sold Snitter to the Research Station. After the two dogs raided Geoffrey Westcott's car, he calls Driver and reports about the incident. Westcott took photographs of the dogs and Driver agrees to meet him. He then posts an article about the dogs robbing Westcott's groceries with the photographs Westcott took as he does an interview with him. He then learns that Stephen Powell fell ill and is upset to learn about it. He eventually pays a visit to the Research Station and learns from Boycott that Stephen is still sick and leaves. Stephen recovers and goes back to work. The next day, Driver comes to the Research Station and chats with Boycott about his experiments and the missing dogs wreaking havoc across the Lake District. He then lashes out at Boycott for being grossly irresponsible and Boycott and Stephen confront him for posting articles about the plague-carrying dogs. Driver tells Stephen that he told him about Dr. Goodner's defense work and Stephen denies it. Boycott receives a call and learns about Westcott's death. Stephen puts down the receiver and convinces him that they should talk outside as they leave. Driver then leaves the laboratory and heads to the police station. He eventually posts a news article about Westcott's death and how Boycott refused to comment about the dogs. He receives a call from a civil servant named Quilliam Skillicorn and learns that William Harbottle sent the military of the 3rd Battalion to hunt down and kill the dogs. While the two dogs are being hunted by the army, Driver receives a call from Ted Springer and tells him to come to Eskdale. Driver gets up and heads over to Eskdale. Upon arrival, he meets up with William Williamson and he tells him that Major Awdry and his army are on the fells. Driver notices a letter that was written six days ago and reads it. He is shocked to see that it was written by Alan Wood, the man who adopted Snitter and that he didn't die in the accident. He then heads over to Ann Moss' house and confronts her for her deceitful actions. He interrogates her about why she sold Snitter to the Research Station and she explains that she hated the dog. He leaves the house and heads to the hospital where Wood is. He sees Wood and hands him the photograph of Snitter. Wood recognizes him and Driver agrees to help him find Snitter. They head out of the hospital and they come across the warden of the Drigg nature reserve, Major Rose. He directs them to Ravenglass and they head over there. However, upon arrival, Major Awdry tells them that the dogs are swimming out to sea and they spot them with his binoculars and he can do nothing, but watch the dogs drown. However, two naturalists named Peter Scott and Ronald Lockley rescue the two dogs and haul them on the boat. They head over to the Drigg nature reserve, where they are happily reunited with Wood. Hot Bottle Bill and the Under Secretary arrive with guns and tell them to have the dogs shot. Major Awdry informs them that Wood is their lawful owner. Hot Bottle Bill is surprised, but insists on shooting the dogs. Major Awdry is reluctant to do so, but Major Rose confronts him and forces him to leave, telling him he had no right to be here and that it's illegal to use guns in his nature reserve. Harbottle begins to lose his patience, but Driver appears and threatens to have him sued, forcing him to leave. Harbottle orders the Under Secretary to deal with the matter, but Rowf chases him away and they flee in their motorcar as Driver takes photos, while shouting with joy. Wood and the two dogs leave the beach as Driver and Rose help him on the way. He explains that he hasn't felt on anyone's side in years and that Harbottle will look sillier than Boycott as he gazes at the beach. Quotes }} Gallery Images Driver with Powell and Phyllis.jpg|Driver talking with Stephen and Phyllis. Driver with Powell.jpg|Driver having a conversation with Stephen. Driver offer ride.jpg|Driver offering Stephen a ride back to the Research Station. Driver driving Powell.jpg|Driver driving Stephen to the Research Station. Powell chat Driver.jpg|Stephen chatting with Driver about Rowf and Snitter's experiments. Talk about Goodner.jpg|Stephen telling Driver about Dr. Goodner's defense work. Driver on TV.jpg|Driver broadcasting on TV. Trivia *In the film, he was replaced by a female reporter named Lynn Driver and she was significantly less jerkish than her book counterpart. *In the book, Driver redeems himself and helps Wood rescue Rowf and Snitter. However, in the film, Driver didn't redeem herself and Wood was dead. *In the book, Digby confronts Boycott for being grossly irresponsible. However, in the film, Lynn doesn't do that and Powell was the one who received the call about the incident of the dogs eating the corpse of the hunter who fell to his death in Dow Crag. *In the film, Lynn has a dog. However, in the book, Digby never had a dog with him. *Although Dr. Boycott is the main antagonist, Digby drives the plot of the film as he was responsible for most of the dogs' predicaments and the belief of them carrying the plague. See Also *Digby Driver at the Heroes Wiki. Navigation Category:Arrogant Category:Greedy Category:Amoral Category:Egotist Category:Blackmailers Category:Redeemed Category:Male Category:Book Villains Category:Friend of a Hero Category:Liars Category:Cheater Category:Incriminators Category:Con Artists Category:Criminals Category:Corrupt Officials Category:Businessmen Category:Lawful Evil Category:Animal Cruelty Category:Addicts Category:Traitor Category:Faux Affably Evil Category:Type Dependent on Version Category:Opportunists Category:Mongers